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Board discusses Village’s future financial needs

Two Hot Springs Village Property Owners’ Association board directors walked out of an executive session last Wednesday after they learned a possible assessment hike would be discussed.

Director Frank Leeming told the Voice he and director Jeff Atkins objected to discussing the matter in closed session. The board’s future financial task force has been meeting since last October to consider the POA’s capital needs through 2020.

“Leaving the meeting shouldn’t be construed as opposition to a proposed assessment increase,” Leeming told the Voice in response to an e-mail. “Like most Villagers, I’ve been waiting since last October to hear what the task force learned about our financial needs between now and 2020, and how the group suggests we meet those needs.”

Director Jeff Atkins told the Voice he’s very disappointed that the whole process has been behind closed doors. “This is a serious issue that requires the involvement of everyone that wants to provide input. I can’t rely on what a few people put together in secret. I think we’ve wasted a lot of time,” he said.

Board president Keith Keck didn’t immediately respond to a Voice e-mail sent to all three directors, offering to let each one comment.

Leeming and Atkins waited about 90 minutes for the assessment discussion to end, then returned when they were told the board was ready to move on to personnel matters.

The board adopted an open-meeting policy in May 2012. Leeming said it identifies seven topics for private discussion, including personnel matters. But changing the assessment is not on the list.

“The board and the task force know I strongly believe the entire process should have taken place in open session so all Villagers would be privy to the scope of the task force’s study,” Leeming told the Voice. “What they learned will, of course, be the foundation for what they recommend.”

He retains an open mind on the POA’s need for revenue, Leeming said. “As far as I’m concerned, we begin July 2 with a clean slate,” he wrote. “The task force will make its findings and recommendations public and Villagers can begin to assess their merits.”

Vice president Harv Shelton chairs the task force. The previous vice president, John Cooney, initially chaired it until his board term expired in April.

In other business, lows bids were approved for paving and culvert replacement. Twenty-one culverts, totaling 1,230 linear feet, are to be replaced this year. All are on roads set for repaving.

On-line Construction will replace culverts for $240,954. The board budgeted $250,000 for culvert replacement this year.

The public works department hopes to pave all roads rated 85 or lower on an annual survey. Up to 20 miles are planned for various paving options.

Redstone Construction of Little Rock will provide hot-mix asphalt for $90 per. The POA paid $87 per ton last year.

Vance Brothers of Little Rock received the micro-surfacing contract, for $177,012.58.

Also, the board updated its rules of decorum. Previously, members who want to address the board for more than three minutes had to submit a transcript of their talk. The board changed it to require only an outline.

A motion by Leeming to amend the proposal by dropping the three-minute limit was defeated on a 2-4 vote, with directors Bobbie Bateman, Mike Medica, Mary Neilson and Shelton opposed. Atkins voted in favor of Leeming’s amendment.

The original proposal then passed on a 4-2 vote, with Atkins and Leeming voting no.

Leeming said a member might have several issues that needed to be discussed, and he didn’t want to limit the member to three minutes for all the issues. “We’re here for them. They’re not here for us,” he said.

Bateman said a person should be able to adequately present his or her case in three minutes. “If you can’t say what you need to say in three minutes, you end up wandering around,” she said.

Shelton said some limit was needed, even if it wasn’t limited to three minutes.

Leeming said board presidents have traditionally done an excellent job ending discussion when it needed to be limited. “The whole idea is to keep meetings open and transparent,” he said.

During department head reports, lifestyles and recreation director Stephanie Heffer said the Tri-the-Village triathlon was very successful. “It was a great event,” she said. As well as a record 157 participants in the swim, run and bicycle race, volunteers outnumbered entrants, she said.

The desert air system in the Coronado Fitness Center Natatorium is “perfect,” she said. Last year it replaced a geothermal heating, ventilation and air conditioning system that had not ever worked properly.

She urged Villagers to attend the first artisans’ market, which was Sunday at Grove Park.

Heffer said the base camp canoe float on the Caddo River is full, with around 35-40 participants.

Public works director Jason Temple said the water-treatment plant renovation is nearly complete. It will be a plant the Village can be proud of, he said.

The work increased the plant’s capacity from 4 million gallons/day, to 6 mg/d.

Paving the east gate’s new bypass lane and parking areas was planned for yesterday, weather permitting, he said. The new lane will help reduce congestion at the gate.

During director comments, Bateman urged the public to attend and share ideas at the Vision Study Group presentation, which will be 4 p.m. tomorrow, Wednesday, June 25 in the Ouachita Activities Building, Ponce de Leon Center

She chairs the group, which is developing a new Village vision statement. The current statement was created in 2010.

Medica said some owners have used foul language when addressing the board, which he said shows a lack of respect for the board and other members. “I don’t see any reason for it,” he said, adding that he feels a member using foul language should be ejected from the meeting.

Shelton said that the fire-pit permit specifies that pits must be attended during burning. Any violation can result in permit revocation.

The board also:

• Appointed Len Dombrowski and Wes Wilson to the lakes committee, bringing it up to its full seven members.

• Approved proposed public safety and fire policies. The board is reviewing all policies this year.

The board’s July work session will be 9 a.m. Wednesday, July 2 in the Ouachita Activities Building.